Thursday, December 20, 2012

AUSTIN, TX DECEMBER 20, 2012 - Austin Beer Guide are more than appropriately excited to announce the release of their eighth issue, Winter 2012, AKA the "Business as Usual" issue.

This bout the boys venture to Colorado to "cover" the Great American Beer Festival and live to tell about it, pick the brain of Real Ale head brewer Erik Ogershok, explore the relatively new winter beer style "the Beer Jacket", share a pint and conversation with former Uncle Billy's on the Lake brewer Spencer Tielkemeier, and spill the beans on the Best of 2012 Readers' and Editors' picks.

Yup, business as usual.

And speaking of business, an issue this grand deserves a party of equal grandness. Come join the Austin Beer Guide at Draught House on Thursday, December 20 at 6pm for their Winter Release/Best of 2012 Readers’ Poll Awards/Too Many Beers/Apocalypse Eve/Die Hard/Holiday Party!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

SAN ANTONIO, TX, December 18, 2012 – As a combined brewery/distillery, Ranger Creek Brewing & Distilling can make products that no one else can.They have just released their most exciting beer to date – the first one to be aged in their own bourbon barrels - and they intend to brag about it pretty loudly.The beer is the 4threlease in the brewery’s Small Batch series – a line of seasonal, single batch brews designed to be unique, interesting, and often experimental.

Small Batch Series No. 4 is an Imperial Mesquite Smoked Porter aged in Ranger Creek Bourbon Barrels. The brewery took one of their year-round releases, their Mesquite Smoked Porter, and brewed it to 10% ABV. It was then aged for 10 months in their own Texas bourbon barrels,

Rob Landerman, head brewer at Ranger Creek, describes Small Batch Series No. 4 as “carrying a sumptuous nose of sweet oak, mesquite smoke, dark chocolate, toasted marshmallow and vanilla, along with flavors of dark bittersweet cocoa laced with sea salt, smoke, vanilla, and caramel. Its a warming winter release that is heavenly to sip now, but it will also age and mellow nicely for up to 10 years if stored carefully.”

Beer aged in bourbon barrels is nothing new to the craft industry. However, Ranger Creek is the first brewery to use their own bourbon barrels instead of purchasing used barrels from a bourbon distillery. The barrels were first used by the brewstillery to age their Ranger Creek .36 Texas Bourbon, then kept in-house to age their beer. Small Batch Series No. 4 allows Ranger Creek to focus on their goal of showcasing the relationship between beer and whiskey.

Small Batch Series No. 4 is available now at fine Texas craft beer retailers in San Antonio, Austin, Houston, and Dallas/Ft. Worth. The Small Batch series has received critical acclaim since its release in April. Small Batch Series No. 2 was recognized by DRAFT Magazine as a top 25 beer of 2012.